Ergot fungus has a really interesting history. It is believed that ergotamine and its sisteralkaloids were the cause of St Anthony's Fire, a condition which often would affect an entire town, causing people to dance in the street, see visions, and just generally act weird, when the towns grain supply had become infected heavily with ergot.

LSD was discovered by chemistAlbert Hoffman while he was investigating the properties of ergotamine derivitives, specifically for their use in stimulating blood flow. He accidently got some on his hand, and thus a new drug was discovered.

Other ergot derivatives, like ergonovine have been used as medicines in childbirth. In fact, the use of ergot to stop postpartumuterine bleeding dates back to the 17th century.

Ergotamine has also been used to great effect in stopping migraine headaches.

Ergot is a fungus than can explain the occurances of the famous 'plagues of witchcraft' that occurred in Salem, Mass. in 1892. Apparently, their rye crops were infected with a poisonous fungus that, when ingested, caused hallucinations (of all the senses), uncontrollable convulsions, and eventually death. There has been a similar case in France in the 1950s, where a baker unwittingly used a batch of flour that was made from rye infected with ergot. About 200 people in the small French town were affected, and (if I remember correctly) 17 people died. There was even video footage taken of the
fungus' effects, which showed EXACTLY those symptoms described in the Salemjournals that described the incident.

It was also found that ergot infections of staple crops could explain 'witch hunts' dating back to the middle ages. Weather conditions at the time were found
to be conductive of ergot infection throughout areas where witch hangings took place. These areas were found to be near primary rye-growing areas of the time. Peasants were most affected, as their poor diets consisted mostly of food derived from that grain.

More interestingly, such behaviour of 'witch accusations' traces back to a petrified man found in a peat bog whose age has been estimated at approximately 2000 years. The man's stomach contents were found to contain large amounts of ergot, which was found to
have been absorbed into his bloodstream. The man suffered a clearly brutal death, as his skull was cracked and his throat cut ear to ear. The discovery of ergot in his stomach would explain his brutal death, as the mystics and druids at the time would have thought him 'possessed'
by demons and hunted him down.

A diseased condition of rye and other cereals, in which the grains become black, and often spur-shaped. It is caused by a parasitic fungus, Claviceps purpurea.

2.

The mycelium or spawn of this fungus infecting grains of rye and wheat. It is a powerful remedial agent, and also a dangerous poison, and is used as a means of hastening childbirth, and to arrest bleeding.

3. Far.

A stub, like soft horn, about the size of a chestnut, situated behind and below the pastern joint.